Any incidents reported to An Garda Siochana 'will be fully investigated" no matter how small, or insignificant people may think they are, according to its first rural crime lead.

Superintendent Michael Corbett, who comes from a rural and farming background and is based in Fermoy in Co. Cork, said he intends to keep a "spotlight on rural crime" in his new role.

Supt Corbett told Agriland's AgriFocus podcast that he would also like people living in rural communities to be the "eyes and ears in rural Ireland" for gardaí.

"If you see something suspicious, people should report it, or jot down a registration number of a vehicle if you're not happy about something. If you pass a car in a road and it is parked it in an unusual way, or parked in the laneway and you don't know it or it is not familiar - ring it into your local garda station," he said.

An Garda Siochana

Supt Corbett has acknowledged that farmers are currently extremely concerned about an increase in cases of illegal hunting and trespassing and that people would like to see more gardaí in rural areas.

Supt Corbett said An Garda Siochana covers large geographical rural areas and these are often served by small stations but he said these are "very much viable and open in rural Ireland".

He said people living in rural areas should be reassured that "An Garda Siochana is out there, we're stopping people, we're acting on complaints, we're prosecuting people".

He is also encouraging people living in rural areas to "protect their property as much as they can".

Supt Corbett said farmers in particular should secure property in sheds and by locking it up, by using property marking and also using trackers on high value machinery and vehicles.

"So it's about limiting that opportunity to engage in theft," he said